Members of the general public and Alumni of Bemidji State University may borrow materials from certain collections of the A. C. Clark Library.

Community Borrowers, including alumni, may be anyone from BSU’s service region who has no financial obligations to BSU, has not in the past abused borrowing privileges and is above the age of 18. The intent of this borrowing program is to provide community members a supplement to the information resources found at their public library.

Community Borrower Policies

To streamline the application process for Community Borrowers, applicants may email a completed application form in advance of coming to the library to pick up their activated card. Please allow one business day for processing.

Filling out the form requires the user to have the free Adobe Acrobat Reader software installed on their computer. We recommend installing the most current version of Adobe Reader software for compatibility.

Download Adobe Acrobat Reader DC

Follow these simple steps to apply!

  1. Download application form
  2. Depending on your Web browser’s configuration, you will prompted to download the PDF application form to your computer
    1. Tip: If you are not prompted to download the PDF to your computer, either look for a icon in your browser’s PDF viewer that looks like a floppy disk or check in the Downloads folder on your computer, as some browsers automatically save to a Downloads folder
    2. Mac Users: The PDF form must be opened in Adobe Reader software, not in Apple’s default “Preview” application. Download the free Adobe Reader
    3. Click on “OK” to approve any pop-ups from the Adobe Reader software
  3. Fill out the fields above the dotted line on the form
    1. Items in red (name, date, address and phone number) are mandatory
    2. A street address (with house number) must be provided for the application to be processed
    3. Provide a mailing address, if different from street address
    4. Provide a valid email address, if you would like to receive electronic notices from us
    5. Note: If you would like to have notices mailed to a P.O. Box, provide that information under “Mailing Address”
    6. Check the Borrower Type which best describes you (Graduate of BSU or Community Borrower)
    7. You will not need to sign and date the form until you pick up your activated card at the Library
  4. Save the completed application form to your computer
    1. To save the file in Adobe Reader, go to File >> Save As, or click on the floppy disk icon in the Adobe Reader toolbar
  5. Once you have saved a copy of the completed application, please email it to libcirc@au99168.com as an attachment

After you have emailed your application….

  • After one (1) business day, we will respond with a confirmation email (or will send a letter to your mailing address, if no email address was provided on the form) letting you know the status of your application.
  • Once your application is approved, you can come to the Library Circulation Desk during open hours and complete the application process by providing a photo ID or alternate documentation (such as a utility bill showing your current address), and signature.
  • Please note that a Community Borrower card cannot be issued without a copy of photo ID (or alternate documentation) and signature.

Have Questions

Call the Library Reference Desk at (218) 755-3342, or Ask a Question.